Thursday, March 10, 2005

Clarence Martin, one of the most popular athletes ever at Western Kentucky University, died in his sleep early this morning at his Atlanta area home. He was 41.

Martin played for five seasons with the Hilltoppers from 1982 to 1987.

He was a guy that had very good character and work ethic, said Gary Carver, who played with Martin from 1982-1984. Everything about him was first class. He was a good player but even a better person.

It was Martins personality that endeared him to the WKU faithful.

I have not seen an athlete since Clarence Martin that had the total charisma that he had, said Ann Handy, who was coach Clem Haskins secretary when Martin was a player. He was a well-rounded individual basketball was not the only thing he was interested in. He schooled himself in many areas. He was a devoted Christian and lived a good, Christian life.

While he lived in Bowling Green, Martin was an active member of Lost River Church of Christ, which was then known as the 12th Street Church of Christ.

He was just a good-hearted individual and was concerned about the people all around him, said church elder Paul Cook.

During his playing days, Martin would regularly visit area schoolchildren.

Dr. Randy Deere then the trainer for the mens basketball team said he often drove Martin out to elementary schools.

Those kids would just surround him they loved him, Deere said Hed talk to them about being good students and being good people thats just the kind of person he was.

Martin, a 6-foot-8 post player, scored 888 points in his career. He also finished with 684 rebounds and 198 blocks still second among all WKU players behind only Chris Marcus.

He was selected in the third round of the NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz in 1987. He never played in the NBA, but did spend eight years playing professionally in Japan.

His strength and rebounding and shot blocking ability was really ahead of his time, said WKU sports information director emeritus Paul Just. He was an outstanding physical specimen. Now theres more people like him around.

His sophomore season was cut short after just five games because of a severe knee injury, but he came back to play three more years.

The technology then isnt as good as today, and that was the type of injury that ended a lot of careers Deere said. The doctors did a great job of fixing him, but he was the kind of person that made us really good.

Even when he was recovering from the injury, Martin was a integral part of the team.

Clem was going to move me out to the three position to play facing the basket and Clarence was going to work inside until he blew his knee out, Carver said. When I went back inside, Clarence was one of my biggest cheerleaders. He really supported me a lot.

Martin played through several other injuries during his time at Western most notably the final two games of his career.

He sprained his ankle stepping off the team bus while traveling to Syracuse, N.Y., for the NCAA Tournament.

Deere said Martin didnt even mention the injury until the team reached Syracuse and by that time his ankle swelled up until it looked almost as big as a melon.

I asked him, What are we going to tell people? We couldnt say that he sprained his ankle getting off the bus, Deere said. He said, You wont have to tell them anything, because Im playing. Im not sure we even told Murray Arnold till sometime later. There was no way we were going to be able to keep him out of those games.

Western won its first round game against West Virginia before losing to host Syracuse in the second round.

Martin was one of the team leaders for his entire career, according to Carver.

He let his actions speak for him, Carver said. James McNary was on the team and kind of had a big mouth. One time in practice, he was talking a lot and lets just say Clarence kind of fouled him pretty hard and put him down on the floor. Instead of saying anything, Clarence just kind of looked down at him as if to say, Dont mouth off any more and he didnt.

He is survived by his wife, Faye Boards Martin originally from Oakland and two daughters, Chelsea and Caitlin of Marietta, Ga.; a sister, LySandra Bowles and her husband, Anthony, of Bowling Green; and three brothers, Willie Carl Martin of Alexander City, Ala., William Martin of Port Arthur, Texas, and Gerald Martin of Alexander City.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

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